Saturday, October 22, 2005
Fight Club by Chuck Palahnuik
"The first rule of fight club is you don't talk about fight club."
"The second rule of fight club is you don't talk about fight club."
I'm breaking the first two rules of fight club by writing about it. For the few of you who haven't seen the movie, here's synopsis...
The unnamed nararator, suffering from insomnia and the drudgery of everyday living in our superficial society, begins frequenting support groups trying to find someone who will care. Eventually he meets Tyler Durden, who introduces him to a hazy underground world: waiters who do the unmentionable to food, film projectionists who splice movies together, and other seedy activities. Most of all, Tyler begins an underground movement of fight clubs where men secretly gather to relieve their frustration by beating one another to a pulp. Eventually this isn't enough and Tyler transforms the male agressors into an army committed to Project Mayhem. Tyler wants to destroy modern civilization and turn it into complete anarchy.
I'm probably one of the three people on the planet who have read the book before seeing the movie. Actually, I can't really say that I've seen the film (I watched it while dozing in and out of sleep, which only added to the style of the movie.) So, if you haven't seen the movie, here are three aspects of the book that are worth mentioning...
1. The style of the writing was really annoying. Maybe it was supposed to resemble someone who hasn't slept in weeks. Palahnuik rarely writes in a complete sentence or uses quotation marks. It is really difficulty to keep track of the story line and who is speaking (or thinking!)
2. There is a real surprise ending!
3. Fight Club is not for the faint of heart. It includes a significant amount of profanity and disturbing material. It dwindles down into the depths of nihilsim. While asking the right questions about life (What's the meaning and purpose?), Palahnuik chooses the dark path rather than looking beyond life itself for the answers. Of course, if you buy into the basic tennets of naturalism, it is a logical progression. However, the ending of the book suggests that he isn't quite at ease with the result of nihilism as he would have you think.
Even though my friend Kirk the Rock Star (veiled Donald Miller reference) recommended the book, I can't say that I would recommend this as uplifting reading. You're pretty depressed at the end. However, if you want a good look at what the modern world thinks like, this is a great primer.
Overall Rating: 1.5 stars
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley
About four or five years ago I went through my "WWII" phase of reading. I became absolutely enthralled with everything and everyone that played a part of the War. (Actually, I wasn't the only one going through this phase--all of America was. It culminated with Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation and Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan.) One of the many books I read during this time was Flags of Our Fathers.There are literally hundreds of books that recount the amazing feats our brave soldiers accomplished during the war. What makes this book different is that it doesn't stop at the end of the war. It is the story of the four men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima and became one of the most recognizable and famous images of all time. The author, James Bradley is the son of one of the flag raisers. Interestingly enough, he didn't even know his father was one of them until after his death (which is a part of the story.)
The book chronicles the lives of the four famous men. One of them died in combat later on Iwo Jima. Another one could never deal with returning home and basically drank himself to death. The third soldier tried to "profit" from his famous status for the rest of his life, but died miserable and broke. The fourth, Bradley's father, tried to ignore his fame and simply lead a quiet life (like so many of the WWII veterans.) He hid his accomplishments, medals, and decorations from his family. Ironically, it was only by trying to forget about the war that he was able to live beyond it.
Like so many other books and movies about the "Greatest Generation," this book leaves you with a complete sense of awe and reverence for the men and women who did the unthinkable. They spend the best part of their lives enduring unimaginable hardships and hellish events and then simply returned home to normalcy. Utterly amazing.
Overall, this is a great story about great men who fought for a great country and a greater cause.
Rating: 3 Stars
Sunday, October 09, 2005
A Skeleton in God's Closet by Paul L. Maier
This was the first "Christian" fiction books I ever read. My wife reads them all the time and absolutely loves them. I've always thought that they were pretty much sub-par to other fiction books (mainly in plot, creativity, and preachiness.) I've still only read about four of five and will almost always choose a different book to read.
That being said (actually, typed), this book breaks the mold. It is written and constructed as well as any fiction on the market; Christian or secular. (What really makes a book "Christian" anyway?)
Dr. Jonathan Weber is a Harvard professor and biblical scholar. He is spending his sabbatical year on an archaeological dig when a shocking discovery shakes the world to its religious core. I won't reveal the plot, but think about the one archaeological discovery that would bring Christianity to its knees. The world suffers the effects and begins to crumble. Eventually, the crisis is brought to a conclusion through a very unpredictable plot twist.
As I reflect on this book, I've noticed that there are remarkable similarities with The DaVinci Code. The lead characters have striking similarities and both deal in technical disciplines. The difference is that the DaVinci Code pretty much tries to destroy Christianity while Skeleton eventually affirms it. I guess you could say that Skeleton is a faith affirming journey into the same questions that DaVinci Code delves into. For the Christian who doesn't want to support the ideas that DaVinci espouses, this is a very acceptable alternative. Overall, a very enjoyable read.
Rating: 3 Stars
Monday, October 03, 2005
A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin
"Houston, we have a problem."Those famous words by Commander Jim Lovell during the famous Apollo 13 flight have become part of our modern vocabulary. Everyone know that story. However, what most people don't know or remember are the other equally as compelling and interesting stories. The mission change of Apollo 8; the fire that claimed the lives of the Apollo 1 crew; the controversy between Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin of Apollo 11; and the last men to walk on the moon on Apollo 17.
Several things come to the surface while reading this fantastic book...
First, these first astronauts (and all for that matter) had some serious intestinal fortitude. They sat on top of millions of gallons of rocket fuel and were literally shot into space. Then, they left the friendly confines of earth and walked in the most deadly atmosphere any man has ever gone. Their technical prowess and will to succeed are truly inspiring. They are modern day heroes.
Second, the stories are absolutely riveting. Chaikin does a superb job of capturing the mood, drama, and even heartbreak of the race to the moon. Like every boy who looked up at the moon and wanted to go there, I found myself traveling along with the astronauts in the Command Module and LEM. He tells the behind the scenes drama and competition for seats on the missions, which are completely enthralling.
Most of all, this book makes you proud to be an American. When it comes down to it, we went to the moon simply because we wanted to. It typifies the attitude America when everything else in the world was going haywire (Vietnam.) It stirs the desire to return to the moon and go even beyond.
Rating: 3 Stars
